Characterization of root surface periodontal ligament following avulsion, severe intrusion or extraction: preliminary observations

Abstract –  This study employed novel topographic and histological techniques to assess remaining periodontal ligament (PDL) in a convenience sample of avulsed and intruded human permanent incisors and extracted premolars. Seventeen human teeth (eight avulsed, five severely intruded and four uninjured extracted) were evaluated for the distribution and physical characteristics of adherent root surface PDL. The topographic distribution of PDL was assessed by staining roots with malachite green and determining the proportion of remaining PDL within selected regions on four aspects of each tooth. In order to characterize mechanical damage to PDL, serial transverse sections of roots were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined at magnifications of 40× to 800×. The sections were photographed and imaging software was used to calculate the percentage of remaining PDL in the circumference of each root section. Topographic analysis demonstrated that 54% of the PDL remained on roots of avulsed and severely intruded incisors and 36% of the PDL remained on the extracted single-rooted premolars. Examination of serial transverse root sections revealed that 58% of the PDL remained on roots of avulsed or severely intruded incisors and 54% on extracted premolars. Avulsed and severely intruded incisors demonstrated similar amounts of retained PDL. In both injuries, almost half of the root surface was denuded of PDL.     

Evaluation of in vitro adhesion of cariogenic microorganisms to enamel and dental filling materials

The adhesive ability of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus mutans and Actinomyces viscosus-naeslundii on enamel, amalgam and composite of microparticle and small-particle are studied "in vitro". The selective mediums used for the three micro-organisms are, respectively, Rogosa agar, M.S.B. and C.F.A.T. The lower adherence is showed by bacterias of Lactobacillus genus. S. mutans and A. viscosus-naeslundii show similar adherence properties between them. The greatest adherence was obtained in composites, being S. mutans the bacteria with a greatest level of adherence to the composites of small-particle, and A. viscosus-naeslundii the bacteria with more adherence to the ones of micro-particle. The adherence on amalgam was slightly lower than the adherence on enamel.     

Two-year outcomes of primary molar ferric sulfate pulpotomy and root canal therapy

PURPOSE: The objective of this outcome study was to compare ferric sulfate pulpotomy (FS) and primary tooth root canal therapy (RCT) on cariously exposed vital pulps of primary molars. METHODS: A total of 291 molars were treated in 130 children--182 molars received FS and 109 received RCT by random selection. RESULTS: At 2-year reassessment, 116 molars (73 FS, 43 RCT) were available for clinical and radiographic examination. There was no clinical evidence of pathosis in 96% of FS and 98% of RCT molars. Two independent pediatric dentists evaluated periapical radiographs of the treated molars. Molars were classified into 1 of 4 outcomes: (1) N--normal treated molar, (2) H--nonpathologic radiographic change present, (3) P(O)--pathologic change present, follow-up in 6 months, and (4) P(X)--pathologic change present, extract immediately. Survival analysis was applied. A good level of agreement between raters was found for molars with outcome P(X) (kappa=0.745). Intrarater reliability was good for molars with outcome P(X) (kappa=0.710). Significantly greater numbers of FS than RCT molars were rated P(X) at the 2-year recall (chi2=5.8; P=.02). No significant difference in survival between the 2 types of vital pulp treatments was detected in log rank tests (P=.22). CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes for FS were poorer than RCT outcomes at 2 years; however, at 2 years, the survival rates were not statistically different.     

Aging‐related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG): not only tau phosphorylation in astrocytes

Aging‐related tau astrogliopathy (ARTAG) is defined by the presence of two types of tau‐bearing astrocytes: thorn‐shaped astrocytes (TSAs) and granular/fuzzy astrocytes in the brain of old‐aged individuals. The present study is focused on TSAs in rare forms of ARTAG with no neuronal tau pathology or restricted to entorhinal and transentorhinal cortices, to avoid bias from associated tauopathies. TSAs show 4Rtau phosphorylation at several specific sites and abnormal tau conformation, but they lack ubiquitin and they are not immunostained with tau‐C3 antibodies which recognize truncated tau at Asp421. Astrocytes in ARTAG have atrophic processes, reduced glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and increased superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) immunoreactivity. Gel electrophoresis and western blotting of sarkosyl‐insoluble fractions reveal a pattern of phospho‐tau in ARTAG characterized by two bands of 68 and 64 kDa, and several middle bands between 35 and 50 kDa which differ from what is seen in AD. Phosphoproteomics of dissected vulnerable regions identifies an increase of phosphorylation marks in a large number of proteins in ARTAG compared with controls. GFAP, aquaporin 4, several serine‐threonine kinases, microtubule associated proteins and other neuronal proteins are among the differentially phosphorylated proteins in ARTAG thus suggesting a hyper‐phosphorylation background that affects several molecules, including many kinases and proteins from several cell compartments and various cell types. Finally, present results show for the first time that tau seeding is produced in neurons of the hippocampal complex, astrocytes, oligodendroglia and along fibers of the corpus callosum, fimbria and fornix following inoculation into the hippocampus of wild type mice of sarkosyl‐insoluble fractions enriched in hyper‐phosphorylated tau from selected ARTAG cases. These findings show astrocytes as crucial players of tau seeding in tauopathies.     

GOECP/SEOR radiotherapy guidelines for small-cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for approximately 20% of all lung cancers. The main treatment is chemotherapy (Ch). However, the addition of radiotherapy significantly improves overall survival (OS) in patients with non-metastatic SCLC and in those with metastatic SCLC who respond to Ch. Prophylactic cranial irradiation reduces the risk of brain metastases and improves OS in both metastatic and non-metastatic patients. The 5-year OS rate in patients with limited-stage disease (non-metastatic) is slightly higher than 30%, but less than 5% in patients with extensive-stage disease (metastatic). The present clinical guidelines were developed by Spanish radiation oncologists on behalf of the Oncologic Group for the Study of Lung Cancer/Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology to provide a current review of the diagnosis, planning, and treatment of SCLC. These guidelines emphasise treatment fields, radiation techniques, fractionation, concomitant treatment, and the optimal timing of Ch and radiotherapy. Finally, we discuss the main indications for reirradiation in local recurrence.     

A systematic review and meta-analyses of pregnancy and fetal outcomes in women with multiple sclerosis: a contribution from the IMI2 ConcePTION project

Journal of Neurology - Neurologists managing women with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) need information about the safety of disease modifying drugs (DMDs) during pregnancy. However, this knowledge is...     

Colonic Microbiota Profile Characterization of the Responsiveness to Dietary Fibre Treatment in Hypercholesterolemia

This study aimed to determine how the microbiota profile might be predisposed to a better response in blood lipid profiles due to dietary fibre supplementation. A three-arm intervention study that included three different fibre types (mainly insoluble, soluble, and antioxidant fibre) supplemented (19.2 g/day) during 2 months in individuals with hypercholesterolemia was developed. Changes in faecal microbiota and blood lipid profile after fibre supplementation were determined. In all volunteers, regardless of fibre type, an increase in the abundance of Bifidobacterium was observed, and similarly, an inverse relationship between faecal propionic acid and blood LDL-cholesterol, LDL particle size, and LDL/HDL particle ratio (p-values 0.0067, 0.0002, and 0.0067, respectively) was observed. However, not all volunteers presented an improvement in lipid profile. The non-responders to fibre treatment showed a decrease in microbiota diversity (Shannon and Simpson diversity index p-values of 0.0110 and 0.0255, respectively) after the intervention; where the reduction in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) producing bacterial genera such as Clostridium XIVa and Ruminococcus after dietary fibre treatment was the main difference. It was concluded that the non-responsiveness to dietary fibre treatment might be mediated by the lack of ability to maintain a stable SCFA producing bacteria diversity and composition after extra fibre intake.